Drive structure for use with vibratory devices

ABSTRACT

A vibratory device, such as for use in conveying pulverulent materials and the like. The device is powered by a reciprocating drive connected to a material-carrying member by a connecting structure. The connecting structure includes resilient force transfer means affording improved vibratory operation of the device.

United States Patent Musschoot [54] DRIVE STRUCTURE FOR USE WITH VIBRATORY DEVICES [72] Inventor: Albert Mullclloot, Barrington, Ill. [73] Assignee: General Klnemetla Corporation [22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1971 [2|] Appl. No.: 103,382

52 us. 01 nos/no m 511 int. Cl B653 21/10 58 mu olSeerch [98/220 DA, 220 DB; 209/326,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,134,483 5/1964 Musschoot ..l98/220 DA 1 July 18,1972

Musschoot ..209/365 R Musschoot l98/220 DB Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A vibratory device, such as for use in conveying pulverulent materials and the like. The device is powered by a reciprocatin; drive connected to a material-carrying member by a connecting structure. The connecting structure includes resilient force transfer means affording improved vibratory operation of the device.

Patented July 18, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet l/IIIIII/II/III/I/A I/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII MI/I/IIIII/II/I/l DRIVE STRUCTURE FOR USE WITH VIBRA'IORY DEVICES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to vibratory devices and in particular to vibratory devices wherein a material-carrying member is vibrated to move material along a preselected path.

2. Description of the Prior Art In one improved form of vibratory device shown in Musschoot et a], US. Pat. No. 3,089,582 for a Vibratory Device, and owned by the assignee hereof, the material-carrying member is driven by a motor supported from the materialcarrying member by a pair of rubber members. The materialcarrying member comprises one mass of a resonant springweight system wherein the motor and other members carried by the resilient support members comprise the other mass. The vibratory device thus vibrates at a frequency less than the resonant frequency thereof with the resonant frequency shifting toward the operating frequency as the result of increasing weight on the material-carrying member. In the prior art device, the motor drive means is free of any support other than that provided by the resilient carrying means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved vibratory device wherein the drive is carried on a base structure and includes a reciprocating output portion. The material-carrying member is movably supported by suitable means and is vibrated from the drive by means of a connecting structure which includes first substantially rigid support means carried by the drive output portion, second substantially rigid support means on the material-carrying member having a portion spaced adjacent the first support means, and resilient force transfer means extending between the first rigid support means and the second rigid support means for transmitting a force to drive the material-carrying member from the drive therethrough substantially solely by the resistance of said resilient force transfer means to shear.

The material-carrying member may comprise a feeder, a conveyor, a screen, and the like. Where the device comprises a feeder-conveyor, the reciprocating movement of the drive output portion is preselected to vibrate the material-carrying member suitably to cause material carried thereon to move along a generally straight line pat at a rate controlled by the rate of vibration and amplitude thereof.

The resilient force transfer means may include shoulder means for locating the same relative to the apparatus elements connected thereby. The material-carrying member is effectively supported by suitable movable means other than the resilient force transfer means and may comprise resilient mounting members.

The resilient force transfer means of the present invention provides improved transfer of the vibratory force by transfer thereof primarily by shear forces generated therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vibratory device having structure for connecting the drive to the material-carrying member embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section thereof taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section thereof taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing, a vibratory device generally designated is shown to comprise herein a vibratory conveyor having a material-carrying member, or trough, ll movably carried on a plurality of resilient supports generally designated 12. The supports are carried on a base 13 at spaced intervals longitudinally of the conveyor. Vibratory motion is imparted to the conveyor from a drive generally designated 14 which may include a prime mover in the form of a conventional electric motor I5 carried on a portion I6 of base I3.

Drive 14 further includes a pair of connecting rods 17 at opposite sides of trough II comprising output beams each having an output portion I8 on which is mounted a plate 19. A pair of plates 20 are carried on the underside of trough 11 by means of suitable brackets 21 to be spaced inwardly adjacent plates 19. Force transfer means 22 are provided between the respective pairs of plates 19 and 20 to transfer vibratory force from drive I4 to trough II. Means generally designated 23 are connected between the beams 17.

Beams I7 are reciprocated generally longitudinally by eccentric means 24. Eccentric means 24 include coupling members 25 connected to the ends 26 of beams 17 by suitable means such as bolts 27. The eccentric means are driven by a pulley 28 mounted on a shaft 29 joumalled in bearings 30 carried on base I3 as shown in FIG. 4. Shaft 29 includes enlarged eccentric portions journalled in bearings 32 carried by coupling means 25 to effect reciprocating movement of beams 17.

Referring now more specifically to the force transfer structure as shown in FIG. 3, connecting means 23 includes a rod 33 extending coaxially through a tube 34. Tube 34 abuts at its opposite ends plates 19 and beam portions l8 are drawn inwardly against plates 19 to retain them against the opposite ends of the tube 34 by suitable nuts 35 threaded on threaded outer ends 36 of rod 33.

An annular friction plate 37 is held facially against plate 19 by suitable means such as screws 38 and nuts 39 and a similar friction plate 40 is held facially against plate 20 by suitable screws 41 and nuts 42. A resilient force transfer member 43 is disposed coaxially between friction plates 37 and 40. Resilient force transfer means 40 frictionally engages each of plates 37 and 40 to transfer driving force from the drive to the conveyor trough. As shown, the resilient member 43 may comprise a toroidal element which may be formed of suitable resilient material, such as rubber, and may include locating means in the form of projections 44 and 45 extending axially outwardly from the opposite sides of member 43 into suitable openings 46 of plates 37 and 40, respectively. Thus, projections 44 and 45 and the side walls of openings 46 effectively define cooperating shoulder means for interlocking the force transfer member 43 both to the drive output portion and to the material-carrying member of the conveyor.

As shown in FIG. 3, the diameter of the toroid 43 is substantially greater than the axial width thereof whereby the driving force is transmitted through member 43 by its resistance to shear parallel to the direction of reciprocation of the drive portion 18. Thus, the resilient force transfer means effectively comprises a resilient member adapted to transfer the driving force by resilient resistance to shear stress. The resilient member effectively transfer the driving force to adjacent opposed rigid means by frictional engagement therewith as a result of the clamping of the resilient member thereby. The to roidal member extends axially perpendicular between the rigid means.

Configurations other than the toroidal configuration of illustrated member 43 may be utilized as the resilient force transfer member. To provide equal resiliency in all directions, however, the resilient member may have a circular periphery such as defined by the toroidal configuration. Thus, the force transfer member may have a preselected high resistance to shear in the direction of reciprocation while transferring the driving force to the connecting elements by its frictional engagement therewith to provide an improved drive means for use in vibratory devices of the type disclosed.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

l claim:

l. in a vibratory device having a material-carrying member and means for movably supporting said material-carrying member for vibratory movement, structure for vibrating the material-carrying member, comprising:

a fixed base;

a drive carried on said base and having a reciprocating output portion; and

structure for connecting said drive output portion to said material-carrying member including first substantially rigid support means carried by said drive output portion,

second substantially rigid support means on said materialcarrying member having a portion spaced adjacent said first support means,

a resilient force transfer member extending between said first rigid support means and said second rigid support means for transmitting a force to drive said materialcarrying member from said drive therethrough substantially solely by the resistance of said resilient force transfer member to shear, and shoulder means interlocking said force transfer member to said drive output portion and said material-carrying member for limiting relative movement thereto comprising interfitted male and female means defined by projections formed integrally in said resilient member extending perpendicularly to the plane of reciprocation of said drive output portion and aligned recess means in the confronting elements of said connecting structure.

2. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim I wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a resilient member having a thickness transversely to the direction of reciprocation of said drive output portion substantially less than its extent in a plane parallel to said direction of reciprocation for providing a preselected high resistance to shear in the direction of said reciprocation.

3. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim I wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a resilient annular member frictionally clamped between said first and second rigid support means.

4. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim I wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a toroidal element extending axially perpendicularly between said first and second support means.

5. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member is formed of rubber.

6. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a resilient member having a circular periphery.

7. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a toroidal element extending axially perpendicularly between said first and second support means, and having a diameter substantially greater than the thickness thereof parallel to the toroidal axis.

8 The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim l wherein the resilient force transfer means comprises a resilient member retained between said first and second support means by frictional engagement of the resilient member with opposed confronting surfaces of the rigid support means. 

1. In a vibratory device having a material-carrying member and means for movably supporting said material-carrying member for vibratory movement, structure for vibrating the material-carrying member, comprising: a fixed base; a drive carried on said base and having a reciprocating output portion; and structure for connecting said drive output portion to said material-carrying member including first substantially rigid support means carried by said drive output portion, second substantially rigid support means on said materialcarrying member having a portion spaced adjacent said first support means, a resilient force transfer member extending between said first rigid support means and said second rigid support means for transmitting a force to drive said material-carrying member from said drive therethrough substantially solely by the resistance of said resilient force transfer member to shear, and shoulder means interlocking said force transfer member to said drive output portion and said material-carrying member for limiting relative movement thereto comprising interfitted male and female means defined by projections formed integrally in said resilient member extending perpendicularly to the plane of reciprocation of said drive output portion and aligned recess means in the confronting elements of said connecting structure.
 2. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a resilient member having a thickness transversely to the direction of reciprocation of said drive output portion substantially less than its extent in a plane parallel to said direction of reciprocation for providing a preselected high resistance to shear in the direction of said reciprocation.
 3. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a resilient annular member frictionally clamped between said first and second rigid support means.
 4. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a toroidal element extending axially perpendicularly between said first and second support means.
 5. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member is formed of rubber.
 6. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a resilient member having a circular periphery.
 7. The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient force transfer member comprises a toroidal element extending axially perpendicularly between said first and second support means, and having a diameter substantially greater than the thickness thereof parallel to the toroidal axis. 8 The vibratory device drive connecting structure of claim 1 wherein the resilient force transfer means comprises a resilient member retained between said first and second support means by frictional engagement of the resilient member with opposed confronting surfaces of the rigid support means. 